10 Reasons I Love My Church

You probably already know that I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Not only do I know that the church is true, but I also love being a member of it. For those of you who believe the same as I do, I hope you love these things too. For everyone else, I hope you can understand why I love them. Enjoy!

 1) We are led by a living prophet who holds the priesthood and receives revelation. How cool is that!? I love not having to guess at what the scriptures mean and try to figure it all out on my own. There is far too much confusion in this world for that. I trust that the Lord's prophet on the earth today tells the truth and leads the Lord's church the way that Christ would if He were here. 

2) We have a wonderful support system. I know if I ever need anything I can call on the other wonderful members of the church. Moving to a new place was scary, but I instantly had new friends and a support system when I got here. Where else can you find that? So cool! 

3) We emphasize the importance of families. In today's world, independence and seeking personal pleasure are valued higher than the family, but I know that this attitude is incorrect. As a result, I have been able to taste the great joy that comes from having a family! Family life isn't "easy," but we all know that it's always the hard things that are the most worth it in life. 

4) We have high moral standards. A lot of people would call this restrictive, but I know that these standards protect me. There is no lasting happiness in sinning a little, or dipping our toes in the adversaries temptations. I know that "Heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to be heavenly." -Brad Wilcox

5) We have temples. Going to the temple helps me remember my relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that I lived with them before this life and I will live with them again. I know that they love me, even though I am not perfect. 

6) We believe in being changed by grace through repentance. I know that there are more than the two options of giving up or perfection. We will never be perfect in this life, but Christ is with us and helps us to become like Him if we just trust in Him. I have hope that I can become the person that I want to be with Christ's help. My mistakes and weaknesses do not define me. "Grace is not the absence of God’s high expectations. Grace is the presence of God’s power" -Brad Wilcox

7) Women are valued. Some may argue with this point, but I know from the Young Women's Program and from Relief Society that Heavenly Father loves His daughters. It is because He loves them that He guides them to the life that will bring them the most happiness. Personally, for me that has meant a loving marriage to a really good man. There are few of them these days, so I know that I am truly blessed to have been able to find Nate. My heart aches for the women of the world who are mistreated by today's men. Women deserve more, and they can find it in the LDS church and way of life. 

8) We are asked to serve in difficult ways. Who knew this would be one of my favorite things? No one likes doing hard things at first because it is uncomfortable to stretch ourselves. However, I realize as I serve in the church doing things that are a challenge for me, the Lord helps me to grow into those roles. I become a better person through each calling and each opportunity to serve. 

9) We believe there is a purpose to this life. This one gives me motivation when life gets really hard. We are here to get a body and to prove to God that we love Him and want to serve Him. After this life, we will be rewarded with more than just worshiping God on a cloud forever (I think I would get a little bored of that). We will be with our families and have the ability to create. Cool! Who knows if there was a big bang or evolution really happened. All I know for sure is that, however we and the earth were created, it wasn't an accident, and nothing that has happened since was an accident either. 

10) We believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings. Why do I like this one? Because John 3:16 means so much more when we understand that God literally gave His Son for us! He watched Christ suffer and die because He loves us so much that He wanted us to be saved. A parent can understand how great of a sacrifice that was, and how much God really does love us. I love knowing the Heavenly Father is literally my father and that He loves me and wants what is best for me. 

-Kamie